Industrial truck for cable reels and the like



April 25-, 1950 H. V. DILLON INDUSTRIAL TRUCK FOR CABLE REELS AND THE LIKE 4 Sheis-Sheet 1 Flled April 1, 1948 INVEN TOR HM D/L L 0N A T TORNEV V ril 25, 1950 A. v. DILLON 2,505,352

INDUSTRIAL TRUCK FOR CABLE REELS AND THE LIKE Flled April 1, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A r TORNE y April 25, 1950 H. V.-DILLON INDUSTRIAL TRUCK FOR CABLE REELS AND THE LIKE Filed April 1, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mvr m km m5 3 3 mm I 3 w N m y. mu M wmflm WV. W H A V B i atenteci Apr.

sa A-T Es ear or 2505,35? INDUSTRIALI KU K FOEQABLE mess; ANDTHE LIKE V .7 Hehrjyw. Dillon; Baltimora-"M ai, assi 'iio'r is Western Electric Company, Inorporated ,-New= Yorkp'NrYi, ascorpo'rationg of New York Abiilication A ri'i 1, 1948,.- Serial No. 18,42Tj s agggbijereeis',entries e lndustriaiti' i iek generally Used in factories'for picking up and Iis'p'orting articles require the use of a's d, pellet or tn ike device, to enable the lifting forks of the truck to run under the antiele s tel' be moved 1m picking sun and: transporti ngi 'cab'le reel. f substantial "size it often' is'nec'e ssary:toapos'ition themeelr'on the liftingifork smthatziits cc'entralv axis iis at right angle's to the forks. Underz. su'chi conditions;-it'-has been the praetic n-Tthe pasts-to 'molin't a-platform on the lifti i; i ork s offthe;truek-platforms of at. least the zsamehe'ight ."atvarious piek upi and delivery locations fromnwhich '2the rree1s ;c0u1d-"b'e rolled Ont-e the -itruckiplatform :or from :the truck to thipla tinrmzz Whnait was necessaryto unloada efee'l fro'm ithe iti'uckiat a :point where a:p1atfOJrm'Ih'ad notibeem-provided the reel had-to be dropped if'rom the truck-platform 1 to the iaetory fioora;with' possibles. 'ama ge -:-to the reel or the 'cableiawound thereo :2 These additional facili-i ties-great]yainereasedithe eostaofhandli-ng cable reels: and; restriete'd vthez'zuse 10f .industriaitrucks to, points-30mm where ioading and delivery platformswere'pnovidedifi r -An object ofethe invent on is- -to: prov-ide 'new andimprovedindustriaktnucks:

Anothen object 'ofa the; {invention is toprovide newrsand ""imprmied '-in.duistr a1: .-trucksi capable of fittings and;trampontingicylindrioal articles; such: askeable nee1s;;or;the like;

Aneapparatus illustrating certain; features; of: theainqventionr'is daptedwto be arrangedyon the Ioa:a1 m; 0f-: v andwompltises an gianticle-engag g memberjerovtatahlyi mounte on;= .=the-;-1oa i; arm= -0f=the fork; angel means for s'electively moving the: article engaging imember with respect to the: load arm; wherebyrthei artielee engagin member is aligned: witmzthe ioad ar -the :fork' by; the moving means gthe for mawbe positioned adjacent to an artieie to ibe i'ted and uwhen ri is positioned aftight angieste the fload arm by the moving mean it engages; thegarticle whfin the fork is v mel te-n sier i ndinemi esin i Will beg had :frommthe; (allowing fieta-iled description off,

I sp eeif o hem-ho imenit'thereot i when read; in con unetion' witi the' appended; -:drawings-,;

which; 7 Ike s ee ents s eeee t e w d e tria reek iilustrating captains-features 0. i i i mg k of an; dust-riai-truck;

13 Claims; (015214-65) Fig. 2 is an enlarged; fragmentary View ofa. portion of 'the aiipar'atus shown-iri'- Fig} 1; 1

Fig.3 is an enlaneed. blariviw of the load lift ing member Shawn iirFii 1 F1514 is an enlarged;* fragmentary plan view of "'a portion of the loafid li ftihgfmefiibershow-n" in Fig. 2; j I

Fig. 5 is a fragmentar$ verticai partieuiarly sectional view ofthe peruse of th load arins shown in Fig.4, and f Fig. 6 is 'a vertical, sCtidhM ViW taken along line 6-6 of Figz ii.

' Referring nowto"the diawirigs' and more par ticulai'lyto Fig. 1', the num'erai lflindibates gen: er'a11y,"an industria 6k consisting "of a struG- tural frame H 'haivin eeizred onione' endthere of a pair of wheels, of-which one numbered 'li is shown arranged-" tobe mani dulated' brthe steering wheel l3 for g ui'diiig he pathMftreLVel of the truck;l'flf flwdtraotio WhlSffifV/hiCh one is numbered"'l4, is shown, are" secured on-the? otherfend of" the frame l l and arranged 136 be driven through suita'lele comiection's 'by' ambtor provided in the housing H 5 s'e'ciire'ii on the end (if thfia-ihll; I I

7 An extensible hoistingiframe ain dicateci genei eraily at 1"! "consists of-ia stationary m'ast 20 mounted in an-' uprighti'position on the' 'end of the frame I r adjacent-to thentrazetion wheels 44 and a carriage 2| s1idab 1 i' positione'ciwithinthe pair of chains of which 'one num-bered -33--is shown, "connected: atoneenn to-ithe upper cross member 3 l-- of :theforks $30-30, and extending over pulleys, of :whieh E0116 numbereii 3.4- is showm moun-ted -on the top: ,of-the carriage .and-eonnect ed at their other endsxto the -=uppereend of the mast 20; i v; 7

l The chain and.pulleyyarrangementbetween the carriageriii and the .forkse30e30 serves -tosoause the rtorks. to i hesliftedvat-a, gieater rate o'fspeed: than. that. of theic'arriage. 2 l whnthe lever v 2! respective support 66.

detailed description of suclrtrucks is unneci essary because their construction and operation are well known. To render such trucks capable of picking up cable reels such as the reel 35 when the central axis of the reel must be at right angles to the lifting forks 36-36, they may be 7 modified in the following manner.

A double acting hydraulic cylinder 36 is positioned on each load arm 32-32, the inlet and exhaust ports of each of the cylinders 36-36 being connected together by suitable pipe lines 31-31. The pipe lines 31-31 are connected to the valve 26 by flexible houses 38-38 and a lever 46 is arranged to actuate the valve 26 so as to direct hydraulic fluid under pressure from the pump 25 to the desired end of the cylinders 36-36. The cylinders 36-36 are so connected to the valve 26, by the pipe lines 31-31 and the flexible houses 36-38, that movement of the lever 46 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, actuates the valve 26 to admit oil under pressure from the hydraulic pump '25 to the right end of the cylinders 36-36 (Fig. 2) and movement of the lever 46 to the left, actuates the valve 26 to admit oil under pressure to the left end of the cylinders 36-36, whereby simultaneous movement of the pistons (not shown) of the cylinders 36-36 in the same direction is obtained.

' Each of the cylinders 36-36 (Fig. 3) is provided with a piston rod 4| having the free end thereof secured to a cross head 42 slidably mounted in a cross head guide 43 secured to its respective horizontal legof the load arms 32-32. A stud 46 is mounted on the end of each of the cross heads 42-42 for slidably engaging a slot 41 provided in one end of the lever 56. The other end of each lever 56 is pivotally secured to a lug 5| extending from a hub 52, rotatably mounted in a bearing indicated generally at 55 which is secured on the end of its respective load arm. The bearing 55 consists of a ring 56 secured to the load arm and a retainer ring 51 secured thereto by means ofv a plurality of screws 58-58 (Figs. 4 and 5). An art cle engaging member 66 is secured in each rotatable hub 52 and may be aligned with or positioned at right angles to the load arms 32-32 by proper actuation of the hydraulic cylinders 36-36.

The end of each arm 56 adjacent to the slot 41 is provided with a lug 63 (Figs. 4 and 6) which has a square hole 64 provided thereon for receiving the end of a square plunger 65 slidably mounted in a support 66 secured to each cross head guide 43. A cap 61 is secured on the top of each support 66 (Figs. 5 and 6) to positiona spring 16 against a shoulder 1| provided on the upper end of each of the plungers 65-65. The spring 16 serves to maintain each plunger 65 in' its depressed position so that the shoulder 11 thereof normally rests against the top of its A pin 12 is secured in and extends outwardy from the side of each plunger 65 in order to slide freely in a vertical slot 15 provided in each support 66 (Figs. 5 and 6). The end of each pin 12 extends beyond its respective slot so' as to slidably engage an irregular surface of a cam 16 rigidly secured to each of the pins 46-46 by means of a set screw 11.

The irregular surface of each of the cams 16-16,

which engages the pins 12, comprises an oblique surface 86, a horizontal surface 8! of predetermined length and an oblique surface 82.

The purpose of the cams 16-16 is to raise and lower their respective plunger 65 when desired, so as to permit movement of the lever 56 to its broken line position shown in Fig. 4. When each of the levers 56-56 and their respective article engaging members 66-66 are in the full line position shown in Fig. 4, the end of each plunger 65 extends into the square bore 64 provided in the lug 63 of each arm 56 and prevents the article engaging member 66 from being rotated when an outward or turning force is applied against the members 66-66. A bar 85 has an arm 86 secured adjacent to each end thereof, whose ends are pivotally mounted in bearings 81-81 secured on the arms 32-32, whereby the bar 85 may be positioned transversely across the load arms 32-32 of the forks 36-36 against forward stops 88-38 or rear stops 66-96 secured to the load arms.

Operation The industrial truck I6 is dllVen by the operator thereof to a point at which a reel, such as a reel 35, is to be picked up by the-truck and transported to a remote point. When the truck :6 has reaohed'a position in front of the reel with the central axis of the reel at right angles to the load arms 32-32, the lever 46 (Fig. 1) is actuated to set the valve 26 in such a position that hydraulic fluid under pressure is admitted to the left end of each of the double acting cylinders 36-36 (Fig. 3), whereby their respective pistons are urged simultaneously to the right. This movement of the pistons moves their re spective cross heads 42-42 to the right end of the cross head guides 43-43, which in turn draws the levers 56-56 to the right and rotates the hubs 52-52 mounted in the bearings 55-55. When the pistons (not shown) reach the right end of their stroke, the rotation of each hub 52 positions its respective article-engaging member 66 secured thereto in alignment with its respective load arm 32, which is the broken line posi- 50 tion shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

The initial portion of the stroke of each of the cross heads 42-42 toward the right causes the pins 46-46 to move to the right within their respective slots 41-41 provided in the end of the levers 56-56 without actuating the levers. During this portion of the stroke of the cross heads, the cams 16-16 secured to the pins 46-46 move to the right, whereby the surface 86 thereof is drawn under its respective pin 12 causing the 50 pin to move upwardly in the slot 15 provided in the support 66. The pin 12 in moving upwardly lifts the plunger attached thereto out of engagement with the square bore 64 provided in the lug 63 of the lever 56 against the action of the compression spring 16 retained in the cap 61. In other words, the initial movement of each cross head 42 and its associated cam 16 serves to unlatch its respective lever 56 so that upon continued movement of each cross head 52 to the right, each lever 56 will be free to pivot about the pin 46 and the pin 53 (Fig. 4) and assume its broken line position.

Having aligned the members 66-66 with their respective load arms, the truck-I6 may then be 75 moved toward the reel 35 so that the arms 32-32- which comprises a plurality of article-engaging members one for each arm and rotatably mounted thereon, means connected to each article-engaging member for selectively moving it in alignment with its respective load arm or inwardly at right angles thereto, and means provided on each load arm for latching its respective articleengaging members against movement when it is positioned at right angles thereto, and means actuated by the said moving means for releasing the latching means when the article-engaging members are moved from their right angle positions into alignment with the load arms, whereby when the article-engaging members are aligned with the load arms the truck may be maneuvered so that the load arms straddle an article to be lifted and when they are positioned at right angles thereto they engage the cylindrical article when the forks are raised.

5. In an industrial truck having a power operated hoisting frame for raising and lowering load engaging forks having parallel horizontally extending load arms, the improvement which comprises a bar transversely positioned across the load arms for engaging the periphery of a cylindrical article to be lifted by the forks, said bar being adjustably mounted on the load arms to accommodate cylindrical articles of different sizes, an article-engaging member rotatably mounted on the end of each load arm, means connected to each of said rotatable article-en; gaging members for rotating them into alignment with the load arms or inwardly at right angles to their respective load arm, means provided on each load arm for latching its respec tive article-engaging member against movement when it is positioned at right angles thereto, and means actuated by said rotating means for releasing the latching means of its associated article-engaging member when said article-engaging members are moved thereby into alignment with their respective load arm, whereby when the article-engaging members are aligned with the load arms the truck may be maneuvered so that the load arms straddle a cylindrical article to be lifted and when they are positioned at right angles thereto they coact with the transverse bar to support the cylindrical article when the forks are raised.

6. In an industrial truck having a hydraulic actuated hoisting carriage for raising and lowering load engaging forks provided with a pair of spaced horizontally load arms, an apparatus arranged to be mounted on each load arm of the lifting fork to render and carrying cylindrical articles, which comprises a bar transversely positioned across the load arms for engaging a cylindrical article positioned between the load arms of the forks, said transverse load bar being adjustably positioned on the load arms to suit the size of the cylindrical article to be lifted by the forks, a plurality of article-engaging members one for each load arm and rotatably mounted on the free end thereof, a double acting hydraulic cylinder positioned on each load arm for moving the article-engaging member with respect thereto, said cylinders being connected to the hydraulic system of the truck employed for elevating the lifting forks, and means for selectively controlling the operation of the hydraulic cylinders to effect simultaneous movement of the article-engaging members, whereby when the control means is actuated to cause the hydraulic cylinders to simultaneously position the article-engaging members in alignment with the forks capable of lifting riphery of the the load arms the forks may be positioned astride cylindrical article to be lifted and when the cylinders are actuated to position the articleengaging members inwardly at a right angle to the respective load arms they coact with the transverse bar to lift the cylindrical article when the forks are elevated by means of the hydraulic system of the truck.

7. In an industrial truck, the combination of a frame, a vertical hoisting frame supported by said frame, a carriage slidably mounted in the hoisting frame, power means for raising and lowering the movable carriage and lifting forks attached to said carriage and having spaced horizontally extending load arms, and means provided on the load arms fOr supporting a cable reel when the forks are elevated, the said means comprising a bar positioned transversely across the load arms to engage the periphery of a cable reel opposite surface of the reel at a point substantially aligned with that at which the bar engages the reel, and means including a hydraulic cylinder for simultaneously moving the reel-engaging members with respect to their respective arms, whereby when the reel-engaging members are moved by the hydraulic cylinder in line with their load arms the load arms may be positioned astride a reel to be lifted and when the members are moved inwardly at right angles to the load arms they coact with the bar to engage the pereel when the forks are elevated. 8. In an industrial truck, the combination of reel when the forks are elevated, the said means comprising a bar positioned transversely across theload arms to engage the periphery of ends thereof so as to engage cable reels of different diameters, a plurality of reel engaging members one for each arm and rotatably mounted thereon for engaging the opposite surface of the reel at a point substantially aligned with that at which the bar engages the reel, and means including a hydraulic cylinder mounted on each load arm for simultaneously moving the reel when the forks are elevated.

9. In an industrial truck, the combination of a frame, a vertical hoisting frame supported by said frame, a carriage slidably mounted in the hoisting frame, power means for raising and lowering the movable carriage and lifting forks attached to said carriage and having a pair of spaced horizontally extending load carrying arms, means provided on the load arms for supporting a cable reel when the forks are elevated, the said means comprising a bar positioned,

transversely across the load arms to engage the periphery of a cable reel to be lifted at a point substantially below the diameter of the reel, a plurality of reel-engaging members one for each arm and rotatably mounted thereon which engage the opposite surface of the reel at a point substantially aligned with that at which the bar engages the reel, and a plurality of hydraulic cylinders one for each reel-engaging member for moving the reel-engaging member with respect to its load arm, and means provided on each load arm for latching its respective reelengaging member at right angles therewith against movement by any external forces applied to the member, whereby when the reelengaging members are moved by the hydraulic cylinders in alignment with their load arms the load arms may be positioned astride a cable reel to be lifted and when they are moved at right angles to the load arms they coact with the transverse bar to lift the cable reel when the forks are elevated.

10. In an industrial truck, the combination of a frame, a vertical hoisting frame supported by said frame, a carriage slidably mounted in the hoisting frame, a power means for raising an lowering the movable carriage and lifting forks attached to said carriage and having spaced horizontally extending load carrying arms, and means provided on the load arms of the forks for supporting a cable reel when the forks are elevated, the said means comprising a bar positioned transversely across the load arms to engage the periphery of a cable reel at a point substantially below the diameter of the reel, said bar arranged to be adjustably positioned across the load arms so as to engage reels of different diameters, a plurality of reel-engaging members one for each arm and rotatably mounted on the end thereof for engaging the opposite surface of the reel at a point substantially aligned with the point at which the bar engages the reel, and a plurality of hydraulic cylinders one for each reel-engaging member for simultaneously moving them with respect to their respective load arms, and means provided on each load arm for latching its reel-engaging member at right angles thereto, whereby when the reel-engaging members are moved by the hydraulic cylinder in alignment with the load. arms the load arms may be positioned astride a cable reel to be lifted and when they are moved at right angles to the load arms they coact with the bar to lift the reel when the forks are elevated.

11. In an industrial truck having a poweroperated hoistingframe for raising and lowering a load carrying member having a horizontally extending load arm, the improvement which comprises a bar positioned transversely across the load arm adjacent to the hoisting frame, an article-engaging member pivotally mounted on the free end of the load arm, hydraulic means positioned on the load arm for selectively moving the article-engaging member in alignment with or transversely of the load arm, means provided on theload arm for latching the article-engaging member in a transverse position with respect to the load arm, and means actuated by the moving means for releasing the latching means when the article-engaging member is moved from its transverse position into alignment with the load arm, whereby when the article-engaging member is aligned with the load arm the arm may be positioned adjacent to the article to be lifted and when it is posi tioned transversely of the load arm it coacts with the transverse bar to lift the article when the member is raised.

12. In an industrial truck having a power operated hoisting frame for raising and lowering a load engaging fork having a pair of parallel, horizontally extending load arms, the improvement which comprises a bar adjustably positioned transversely across the load arms adjacent to the closed end of such a fork, a member for engaging a cylindrical article rotatably mounted on the free end of one of the arms, and means for selectively positioning the articleengaging member in alignment with or transversely of its respective load arm, whereby when the rotatable article-engaging member is aligned with its respective load arm the arms may be positioned so as to straddle the end of a cylindrical article to be lifted and when it is positioned at right angles to its load arm it and the transverse bar engage the periphery of the article and lift the article when the fork is raised. 7

13. In an industrial truck having a poweroperated hoisting frame for raising and lowering a load engaging fork having a pair of parallel, horizontally extending load arms, the improvement which comprises a bar adiustably positioned transversely across the load arms adjacent to the closed end of such a fork, a member for engaging a cylindrical article rotatably mounted on the free end of one of the arms, and means for selectively positioning the article-engaging member in alignment with or transversely of its respective load arm, means for latching the rotatable member in its transverse position, and means for releasing the latching means when the member is moved from its transverse position into alignment with its respective load arms, whereby when the rotatable article-engaging member is aligned with its respective load arm the arms may be positioned so as to straddle the ends of a cylindrical article to be lifted and when it is positioned at right angles to its lead arm it and the transverse bar engage the periphery of the article and lift the article when the fork is raised.

HENRY V. DILLON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 783,699 Lamn Feb. 28, 1905 1,817,220 Young Aug. 4, 1931 1,949,481 Koler Mar. 6, 1934 2,287,469 Cochran June 23, 1942 2,304,649 McDaniels Dec. 8, 1942 2,452,481 Morehead et a1. Oct. 26, 1948 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,505,352 April 25, 1950 HENRY V. DILLON It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 6, line 46, strike out the Word respect;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice. a

Signed and sealed this 21st day of November, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Gammz'ssz'oner of Patents. 

